1. Field
Embodiments of the disclosure relate to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus having an improved structure capable of easily installing a developing unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus generally refers to an apparatus which forms an image on a print medium according to an input signal, and may be a printer, a copy machine, a fax, and an official replicator in which these functions are integrated.
An electro-photographic image forming apparatus which is one type of image forming apparatus may include a photoreceptor unit having a photoreceptor therein, a charging unit disposed around the photoreceptor unit to charge the photoreceptor with a predetermined electric potential, a developing unit having a developing roller, and an optical scanning unit. The optical scanning unit serves to radiate light to the photoreceptor charged with the predetermined electric potential by the charging unit, and thus to form an electrostatic latent image on a surface of the photoreceptor, and the developing unit serves to supply a photosensitizer to the photoreceptor on which the electrostatic latent image is formed and thus to form a visible image.
In the case of the image forming apparatus having a structure in which the developing roller comes into contact with the photoreceptor so as to supply the photosensitizer, when a printing operation is performed, the developing roller and the photoreceptor should come into contact with each other, and also when the developing unit is replaced, the developing roller and the photoreceptor should be separated from each other to prevent interference between the developing roller and the photoreceptor.
However, the developing unit may be replaced while the developing roller and the photoreceptor come into contact with each other, and thus the developing unit or the photoreceptor may be damaged, or the image forming apparatus may be operated while the developing roller and the photoreceptor are separated from each other, and thus a defective image may be formed.